


something so precious about this

by Idk_hi_iguess



Category: The Invisible Library - Genevieve Cogman
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Libraries, M/M, Overcoming fears, Storms, Thunder and Lightning, in which i let them be happy, seriously this is the opposite of my last one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:02:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28816770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idk_hi_iguess/pseuds/Idk_hi_iguess
Summary: The Dragon King of the Northern Ocean, his Supreme Majesty Ao Shun sat, curled like a cat, on a leather armchair next to a fireplace that was bathing the area around it in a warm glow. He was engrossed in his book and Li Ming found himself staring at him fondly.~title from "from eden" by Hozier
Relationships: Ao Shun/Li Ming
Kudos: 2





	something so precious about this

**Author's Note:**

> Another one written with the incredible assistance of my girlfriend <3

Late afternoon found Li Ming catching up on some paperwork in the library. It was by far his favourite room in the black steel, glass and marble structure that teetered on the edge of a sheer drop, over which dark waters poured. It resided on one side of a semicircle shaped waterfall. Far below the mansion that his King used as a getaway from his usual penthouse was a swirling cauldron that almost hypnotized those who looked down upon it to take leave of their senses and fall. But in the four walls of the library, the falls were as distant as the everpresent sound of rushing water. The ceiling was double the height of a normal room, and with the exception of one, which was entirely glass, bookshelves covered the walls. The library sat below the personal rooms of the king, and with the exception of those it was the room that reached furthest out over the precipice. 

The whole house defied normal physics in the way it hung over the waterfall, and it took Li Ming gently encouraging certain servants with explanations of the safety precautions put in place by the earth dragon’s who had melded the steel to the rocks to get them to cross the threshold. But here they all were, three days after their arrival at the house, and everyone was settled in. It was smaller than any other of the King’s residences, so only a few select servants had been invited. 

He looked up from his work in an effort to refocus his brain from musings about the house, and noticed that a downpour had started outside. The wall of windows looked out onto a balcony that was already half flooded and he could hardly see the rock face that sat opposite the library through the rain. 

The Dragon King of the Northern Ocean, his Supreme Majesty Ao Shun sat, curled like a cat, on a leather armchair next to a fireplace that was bathing the area around it in a warm glow. Even where he was sat, he benefited from its warmth. Ao Shun was engrossed in his book and Li Ming found himself staring at him fondly. They had been working together for a year and quite frankly it was not anything like he had imagined serving one of the four dragon kings to be like. Ao Shun wasn’t unprofessional, as such, but he was friendly. In a way one would not expect a King to be. Certainly towards his servants. He asked Li Ming how he was, and seemed to care about his private life. Not that he had much of one, being the personal servant to the King meant that time for a private life was somewhat lacking. 

But doing his work alongside Ao Shun, in his private library, as if they were equals (he nearly laughed at the thought) was not how he had thought serving a King to be. Ao Shun gave a contented sigh from the chair, and he blushed and returned to his work, realising he had been watching the King for far longer than was strictly necessary.

He managed not a paragraph of work before the room was suddening lit up by a bright white light which was followed not two seconds later by a deafening clap of thunder. He jumped, looked over to Ao Shun to see if he had seen. He was no longer focused on his book, instead gazing out of the tall glass door out onto the balcony. Hardly moving, it seemed to Li Ming that he was holding his breath, waiting for the next flash.

Ao Shun held the elemental affinity for storms and as yet another flash of lightning lit up the room, his face morphed into something you might see on a starved man’s face when he was presented with a table so laden with food it was bowing at the centre. He turned his gaze to Li Ming, who smiled nervously back at him. He hoped that it had been enough to convince the King that the lightning didn’t bother him in the slightest. 

Another strike of lightning seemed to propel him up wards, and he bounded over to the window to watch the storm. Li Ming stayed firmly in his seat, trying to tune out the low growling of the thunder. A few minutes passed, with several strikes of lightning illuminating his sharp profile against the dreary view of the forest shrouded in rain and fog. With every sizzle of electricity, his face seemed to grow darker until his jet skin nearly matched the black robe that was draped around his shoulders, something he often wore in the evenings. Out of politeness, Li Ming morphed slightly so that his skin paled to an unnatural white and he felt the familiar sensation of scales growing on his cheekbones. Ao Shun’s long hair seemed to levitate ever so slightly, charged by the power of the storm as he pushed it back from his face. 

He started to wonder what the long, pin straight strands would feel like, imagined his hands running through it, before he put a stop to that thought quickly. The loudest crack of thunder he thought he had ever heard sounded and he made a small involuntary squeak. Blushing furiously, he looked pointedly down at his paper and scribbled furiously. 

“Li Ming?” He did not look up. “Are you quite alright?” 

His mouth went dry as another flash of lightning sent a thrill of terror rising in his throat like bile. “Perfectly fine, my Lord.”

“Come and join me by the window?” 

He wanted nothing less than the ground to reach up and swallow him as he walked across the black wooden flooring to where Ao Shun stood. He looked the picture of a powerful king, his hands clasped firmly behind his back, his chin tilted proudly as if daring the storm to try him. Keeping a respectful distance between the two of them, Li Ming stood just behind him, looking out at where the balcony was flooded. Thunder sounded from what must have been directly above them and he started. Ao Shun turned to him slowly. 

“My Lord, is this your doing?” He asked, putting on a voice of casual interest although he just failed to keep the slight tremor out of his voice. 

“I did not start it, if that is what you’re asking. But forgive me for increasing its frequency. There is a certain glee, an ecstasy, I get from the feeling of being directly at the centre of a storm such as this.” Ao Shun started to walk behind him, before coming up next to him, and far closer than would be proper. “I’m sure you’ll understand. I saw you that day we woke up to find everything encased in the most beautiful frost.” 

He stared at the floor, face burning. He was unaware that the King had been awake when he had gone outside when they had woken up to a frost, and laid in the grass. Ao Shun looked at him, a smile playing on his lips. In a fluid motion in the quiet lull between flashes, the king opened the door to the balcony, grabbed his arm, and pulled him out into the pouring rain. 

The water came down in sheets so thick that within moments he was soaked through, still gripping tightly to Ao Shun’s arm as he spun them around the waterlogged ground. They moved so fast everything was a blur and laughter bubbled from his chest, once he had gotten over the shock of being suddenly outside. The stone was slippery beneath his feet and he nearly fell over, instead grabbing onto the torso of the man standing next to him. 

Ao Shun was laughing as he helped pull him upright, keeping a steadying arm around him. “I’ll hold onto you so that doesn’t happen again. I’d hate for you to catch a chill.”

He went to thank him, before yet another bolt of lightning flashed so close he could feel the electricity in the air around him. Judging by the way Ao Shun was laughing harder than, before, he had seen him jump nearly a foot into the air. 

“Li Ming,” He spluttered above the roaring sound of the rain from all around them, the words dripping like water off the rooftops, “Are you afraid?”

“O-of what?” He kicked himself for forgetting the formalities, “of what, my lord,” 

“Oh please none of that,” They were so close, nearly yelling above the rain and the adrenaline. Another clap of thunder sounded and his grip on Ao Shun’s shoulder tightened. “Of thunder?” 

“No.” he said shortly, not meeting his pitch black eyes. 

“Well, of course I’m no expert on fear, but-”

“Well of course you aren’t! Is the great King of the Northern Oceans even scared of anything?” He inwardly cringed at his forwardness, but Ao Shun laughed easily and pulled him so they were close to the edge of the balcony. “No, I’m totally fearless.” He pointed out at the scene which removed any remaining breath from his lungs. Lightning, jagged, clear and painfully bright flashed to the base of the cauldron they were balancing on the edge of. It lingered for just too long than was natural, and barely a second later the sound of thunder seemed to echo from the swirling mass of churning water only just visible through the rain. The effect was immense, like something out of a wild tale or a witch’s brew, “You’re afraid of storms though.” 

He swallowed but arranged his features into an appropriate expression of indignancy. “I think you’ll find that you’re mistaken.” 

The King looked at the sky and summoned a bolt of lightning directly next to them, so close it burned and Li Ming reached forward and gripped Ao Shun’s hand. It gave him a slight shock. The air buzzed around them. “Are you sure?” 

“Fine!” He yelled above yet another growl of thunder, “I am  _ terrified  _ of storms! Lightning is so sudden and bright and unpredictable! Thunder sounds like something about to pounce on you, it sounds like a bomb or a distant battle! I am totally terrified right now! It is so far from the comforting quiet of a blizzard-” 

Ao Shun held up a finger and he stopped immediately. “Li Ming,” there was a significant pause, “shut up,” He grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him in, pressing their lips together. 

As soon as Li Ming orientated himself to what was happening, he reached his hands up to bury them in Ao Shun’s dripping wet hair. He felt the hands which had only a few moments ago summoned a lightning bolt from thin air hold him as if he was the most precious thing in the world. Dimly, a thought crossed his mind of how unprofessional this whole affair was, stood on the edge of a balcony with his top button undone and slippers on, kissing the King. Then Ao Shun flexed the hand that rested on his shoulder, and he was pulled back into the thoughtless heavy thrill of the kiss. 

Then it stopped. They pulled apart, Li Ming letting his hands drift down until they rested on Ao Shun’s hips. 

“Been wanting to do that for ages,” He said breathlessly as he threw him a casual, lopsided grin that made Li Ming’s heart flutter. 

Certain that there would be too much emotion in his eyes to meet Ao Shun’s directly, he looked out at the waterfalls and forest. At some point, when he’d been distracted by the sensation of the king’s lips on his, the sheets of rain had turned into large hailstones. The skin shown by his rolled up shirt sleeves stung slightly from the impact of them and he shivered. Then another flash of lightning made his eyes snap back to Ao Shun, who was watching him intently. “It’s not that bad, you know.”

“What isn’t that bad?” 

“Getting hit by lightning.” 

“And you would know?” 

He raised his eyebrow at him, “Yes, actually. Do you want me to demonstrate?” 

He couldn’t mean… “On me? You want to strike me with lightning?” 

“Of course if you don’t want to that’s fine. But I believe exposure therapy can be helpful?” 

Thunder roared like an angry lion above them, “Is this not exposed enough for his Majesty?” 

“I won’t hurt you.” Their eyes met and for some reason, despite the stories Li Ming had heard about other dragon kings disposing of their servants without a second thought, he trusted him. 

“I know,” He moved from the edge of the balcony until he stood in the centre, “My Lord, I am at your mercy,” His voice shook, but he shouted above the sound of the hail. Ao Shun smirked. 

“And how charming you look there,” He walked closer, then circled around him. Li Ming felt him press a kiss to the back of his neck and when his lips came away he left a slight shock. He came back into view and took one of his hands in his. One hand held onto his while the other traced his forearm before he pressed down in the crook of his elbow with the pad of his thumb. 

It felt like falling into freezing water, like sunlight on an early morning, like the way stars look as you hurtled past them mid-flight. It didn’t hurt. 

He opened his eyes. Thunder still growled above, and the lightning came every second at least, from all sides of the manor. “I’m still scared?” He was almost disappointed.

“I’m not going to rewire your brain with one shock. I mean I could if I really wanted to, but I can’t imagine you’d be too happy with me.” He chuckled and the sound seemed to echo in the thunder, which, despite his fear, now sounded far more friendly and inviting. 

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed! :)  
> I may come back and continue this, but if i don't know that the planned plot is that they go back inside and share a bath and wash each others hair because *tenderness*


End file.
